Practical Ways to Be an Ally Against Period Poverty

Ally Against Period Poverty

When a person has a daughter, they subconsciously count down to the day she will start her period. In some Nigerian cultures, that day is met with celebration… “Our daughter is a woman now!” It is somewhat bizarre that something we all accept as a totally normal and expected part of a girl’s growth and development is also the source of so much stigma and shame.

Till now, young girls and women are expected to keep quiet about their periods. No one should even see them buying the sanitary towels they need for hygienic management of their menstrual periods… and that is even a problem for those that can afford such products.  period poverty.

Understanding Period Poverty

Period poverty refers to the lack of access to sanitary products, menstrual hygiene education, toilets, hand washing facilities, and/or waste management. This issue affects millions of women and girls around the world, leading to significant impacts on their health, education, and overall quality of life. According to a report by UNICEF, nearly one in ten African girls miss school during their menstrual cycle, and many drop out entirely due to the stigma and lack of support.

At Blossomflow, we believe that menstrual health matters.

Becoming an Ally Against Period Poverty

A key contributor to the bruhaha around women’s periods is the false perception that it is a big deal. No, it is not. Barring any physical issues, menstrual periods happen to all women so why should it be a big deal?

If we treat it as the natural and usual thing that it is, like developing breasts or spreading hips for women, or deepening voice and hair growth in men, it will cease to be treated like an abnormality. Future women will stand a better chance of being at peace with their periods. So when next a lady is ‘stained’ around you, don’t make a big deal about it. Help her or support her as best you can, but also let her know it is not a big deal. It happens!

Embracing Open-Mindedness About Menstruation

Another issue is the way periods and period-related issues are dealt with. People either use generalizations based on the women they know or prefer to keep it ‘hush hush’. Some people are in close or intimate relationships with women but are repelled at the thought of discussing periods.

Allyship is about being in it together. Whether you are the one experiencing it or not, being supportive requires open discourse and knowledge, both of which require conversations. While you may not need all the details, being open to learning how periods impact women will put you in a better position to be empathetic and helpful to women in the quest to vanquish both period poverty and period stigma. Honest conversations also empower you with knowledge that will stop you from making generalizations that can be insensitive or hurtful.

Being Her Peace – Donating, Educating & Spreading the Word!

For every cause, there is a cost. This is also true for this mission. At the core of period poverty is the problem of economic dis-enablement as well as a lack of education. An easy solution is donating to provide sanitary products to young girls and women who, due to the ever-rising costs, cannot afford them. Blossomflow will provide the girls and women with the products on your behalf. Blossomflow has 6-month and 1-year period boxes which contain daytime and nighttime products, designed to give girls long-term peace so that they can go about their daily lives without worry, fear, or shame.

While donating is great and always welcome, another way to partner is to donate your time and knowledge. Blossomflow routinely engages with young girls and women in person and volunteers are always welcome to join us and even help speak to them, educating them about the right way to manage their periods and the downside of using what we like to call ‘Peace Stealers’

Standing together as allies against period poverty – united for menstrual equity and empowerment.

To get started as a Blossom Buddy, click here.

Being an ally is fulfilling work and anyone can be one. Together, we can eradicate period poverty and period stigma one girl at a time.

For more information on how to combat period poverty, visit UNICEF and Global Citizen.